MHS alum Bri Piepenbrok has been an integral part of the UW-Stevens Point volleyball team, and it’s a team on the go.
The 31-4 Pointers are fresh off a WIAC championship and taking their 20-match win streak into Thursday’s NCAA D3 playoff contest with Wartburg College.
UW-SP is ranked 19th in the nation in the AVCA D3 Coaches Top 25 poll. The Pointers wrapped up the WIAC title with a four-set victory over UW-Whitewater on Nov. 9.
“It feels great to have the opportunity to be part of such a great team, especially as a freshman,” she said. “I’m blessed to have a great team with a great coach (Abby Sutherland), who brings in good players every year to keep the program moving up.”
The Pointers came back from an 0-2 deficit to defeat Wartburg (26-11) by a 3-2 tally on the way to an Oshkosh tourney triumph back on September 13.
“We won in five at the beginning of the season,” Piepenbrok said. “We’ve improved a lot since then, so hopefully we can pull out a win. Our team focuses on one point at a time, and we always believe we can pull out a win if we work together.”
The eight-team regional in the 64-team championship field will be played in St. Paul, Minn. The winner of Thursday’s contest will face the victor of St. Benedict and Cornell (Iowa) on Friday.
Piepenbrok has played in nearly every set this year, and has offered 257 digs as a defensive specialist, fourth on the team and just 10 out of third. She set a personal record of 20 digs in a five-set win over Edgewood College on October 29.